This invention relates to a modular building system for freestanding screens or room dividers. Especially the invention relates to a modular building system for freestanding screens of the type used to partition space into discrete areas such as, for example, screens used for partition office space into typing bays and other work areas.
Freestanding screens or room dividers are frequently formed by integral vertical panels supported vertically by a stand. Such panels may either be solid, for example particle board panels or they may comprise a front panel and a back panel having air space or filling such as insulation between them. Whether the panels are solid or spaced apart panels it is usually necessary for aesthetic purposes to provide an edging around the screen. Sometimes such edging may incorporate linking means to link adjacent panels. The front and back surfaces of such panels may be decorated by any convenient means, frequently by fabric covering.
Although screens of different heights and widths may be provided by utilizing panels of different sizes, it is not possible to adjust the height of any one particular screen Moreover, although a wide variety of decorative finishing surfaces and side edging may be used, the provision of such finishes adds considerably to the cost of the article. Less importantly, if such screens are to be stored, they take up considerable storage space unless they may be disassembled from their stands. Even if it is possible to disassemble the panels from the stands, the panels must be either stacked vertically against a wall or flat on the floor. In either case considerable floor space or wall space is required for storage.
The present inventor has attempted to provide a versatile building system for screens, especially those to be used to partition space, which screens may be adjustable in height and easily disassembled for reconfiguration.
According to the invention there is provided a modular building system to form at least one dissassemblable, freestanding screen, the system comprising at least two elongate supports each having an upper end and a lower end, a foot for each of the support members to hold the support member stably in a vertical position, the lower end of each support member being engagable with one of the feet; a plurality of building blocks stackable one upon another to form a screen. The stacked blocks to be threaded in vertical progression on the support members, each building block comprising a rectangular box having an open bottom and an open top.
Preferably the building blocks engage one with another by means of members upstanding from opposed inner surfaces of one building block to project into and fit against opposed inner surfaces of another building block stacked on it. The upstanding members may conveniently be formed by profiling upper and lower margins to form interengaging steps. Alternatively inner lining walls may be provided against opposed inner wall surfaces of each building block. Inner lining walls fixed to opposed inner end wall surfaces may be provided with handles to aid manipulation of the building blocks.
The system may include an uppermost capping member comprising a rectangular box having an open bottom and a closed top the dimensions of the capping member being such as to latch into the building block immediately below it. Preferably, the upper surface of each building block is bevelled downwardly and inwardly. When a capping member is used above one of these building blocks, the dimensions of the capping member may be such that the capping member nests in the building block supported by the bevelled surface.
The support members may be telescopic so that their height may be adjustable.
Transverse strut members may be provided within the building blocks to provide them with some rigidity. The building blocks may also be provided with open ended sockets from top to bottom for sliding fit about the support members.
When assembling a building system according to the invention into a freestanding screen the steps may generally be as follows:
1) The lower ends of two support members are engaged into corresponding feet;
2) If the height of the support members is adjustable these are now adjusted to the height required;
3) A lowermost building block is threaded onto the support members through the sockets in the building block provided for that purpose and the building block is lowered to rest on the feet;
4) A further building block is threaded onto the support members and lowered onto the lowermost building block;
5) Further building blocks are added until the screen has nearly reached the desired height;
6) The stacked building blocks are retained in the stack by means of engagement means between the uppermost building block and each of the supports;
7) Finally a capping member is placed over the top end of the support to nest on the uppermost building block.